The Gift
by suallenparker
Summary: Stella found the perfect birthday-gift for Mac


**The Gift**

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not the show, not the characters. Not even this story. It belongs to lily moonlight.  
>Spoiler: I haven't seen the fifth season now, so it's around season four.<br>Raiting: T  
>Summary: Stella got Mac the perfect birthday-gift.<br>Feedback: Always appreciated.

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><p>Life was no fun. It was late and Mac was sitting in his office, doing paperwork. Of course he was. He had been the last few weeks. Life was no fun. Stupid paperwork.<p>

The only light in his room was coming from his desk lamp a bit of electric light came from the floor through his slightly opened office door. Over the last three weeks, he had seen the real sun only through the windows of the lab. Or when he was called to an outdoor crime scene. But these didn't count. He felt like he was working all the time. Probably because he was working all the time. Just like the rest of his team.

Two hours earlier, when he had got himself some coffee from the kitchen, he had seen light in Stella's office as well. Maybe she was still there and after he finished just this last report, he could ask her, if she would like to get a drink or some dinner. Or a midnight snack. Because he was her boss and a boss should always take care of his team. That's why he had forced Danny and Lindsay to leave at seven o'clock to get some rest. Of course he had tried to get Stella to leave at a reasonable time too. And of course he had failed.

Sighing he took a sip out of his coffee mug. Cold. Well, that happens to coffee, if you leave it for two hours. His face twitched as he forced the cold bitter fluid down his throat. Just great.

And likely Stella was already home and asleep anyway. Grumbling he tried to focus on Danny's report about their latest closed case Mac was supposed to sign. Till now, he had counted four commas Danny had missed to place and three the text didn't needed. Mac shook his head. Missing comma again. How could a man, who would find even the slightest trace of DNA on evidence if there was any, be so bad at grammar? And there was another unnecessary comma…

Footsteps in front of his office door made him look up. He recognized the silhouette, which was standing out against his doorframe.

"You're still here," she said.

"So are you." Smiling he leaned back into his chair as he watched her walking towards him.

"Happy Birthday, Mac." Stella placed a little box wrapped in red paper and an elegant black bow on top of Mac's paperwork.

He frowned. "But today is May the 17th."

"I know." Grinning, she pushed the box further to him.

He looked at the box, then his eyes wandered back to her smiling face which was glowing slightly in the light of his desk lamp. Nothing should look so beautiful under electric light. Mac cleared his throat. "That's not my birthday."

"I know that as well." Her eyes sparkled.

"So why do I get this gift now?"

"Because I bought it yesterday."

That answer made Mac giggle. God, he loved her playfulness."And you could wait until tonight to give it to me? Impressive."

"Funny." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and scolded at him, but the twitching the left corner of her mouth gave her away. "I waited, so the others wouldn't feel left out because they aren't getting any."

"Very kind of you." He took the box into his right hand and shook it. Not a sound. Interesting.

"So will you open it or just keep on mocking me?"

"Can't I do both?" He looked at her with big blue eyes.

"Mac." Once again she failed to stay stern and giggled. "Open it!"

"God, you're impatient."

"That's why I gave it to you today. Open it!"

"What is it?"

"If you had opened it, you would already know."

True. Slowly he started to unwrap the gift, first the bow then the paper until he held a silver picture frame in his hands. Stunned he starred at it, speechless for the first time since Stella entered his room. – Gosh, she must be enjoying this moment after all his mockery.

The frame held a snapshot of Stella and him at the lab. Both in lab coats, she was smiling brightly into the camera, he was looking at her, smiling as well.

"Oh Stella…" Mac remembered the day Danny took the photo with his newest digital camera. Of course Danny had only demonstrated the magical power of his newest play toy to convince Mac to buy some for the lab. Danny had asked for a digital camera for everyone just in the moment when he must've taken this picture of Stella and him.

"A little reminder that you are indeed capable of smiling." Stella's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You like it?"

"I love it, Stella." He looked at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She turned to leave. Damn it. Now life was suddenly fun again and she wanted to end it.

"Oh, and Stella?"

His words stopped her and she turned back around. "Yes?"

"You always make me smile."

She came around his desk. "That was cheesy."

"It's my birthday. I'm allowed to get sentimental." Shrugging his shoulders, he stood up.

Smiling , she leaned into him, gently placing a soft kiss on his right cheek, then she whispered into his ear: "It's not your birthday, Mac."

He laughed.

THE END

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><p><span>AN: Hey again! I hope, you enjoyed the read. As you could read in the disclaimer, this was also a story written for lily moonlight. I gave to her last year for her birthday. I'm thinking about making that an annual thing. Every year a story wherein the 17th-May gets mentioned. The 17th-May-Collection, what do you guys think?


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